Thursday, April 26, 2018

Deaths from hit-and-run crashes in the United States are now at an all-time high, according to a new study by AAA

There has been a 62 percent increase from 2009, the last year in which a downward trend was recorded.

AAA said the data makes 2016 the deadliest year since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began compiling statistics on fatal motor vehicle crashes in 1975.

New Mexico, Louisiana and Florida topped the list of states with the highest death rates from hit-and-run crashes, while New Hampshire, Maine and Minnesota recorded the lowest rates.

The study also found that hit-and-run crashes involving pedestrians are most likely to occur between midnight and 4 a.m., when suspects are more likely to escape unseen; on roads with lower speed limits, where pedestrians are most likely to cross; and in areas with heavy foot traffic.